Known digital imaging systems allow a user to extract people or objects from a scene, and composite them in front of a different, "fun" background, such as a Las Vegas skyline or an image of the moon. In the past, two methods have been used to accomplish this result: (1) A special uniformly colored screen or bright background is used behind the people/objects of interest, and a foreground mask is created using a "linear blue screen" method or "chroma key" method. An example of this method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,781. This method can give excellent results, but requires that the user have an expensive, carefully lit, colored background. (2) The people/objects of interest may be captured in front of any type of background, and then "cut" out of the background electronically using software tools available in such software packages as Adobe Photoshop.TM. version 3.0, for example. Unfortunately, for most subjects such as people, use of such software tools is a time-consuming and difficult process that typically yields a less than realistic looking border around the image.
What is required is a method of extracting people/objects of interest that can quickly and easily be accomplished by inexperienced users, and that gives acceptable results, without requiring a special colored background.